Win98 - rename file bug, Webp plugin

[dbz]

First off, I want to say thanks for making such a great program available. Having said that, I have come across a couple issues I thought I should let you know about.

I got in the habit of updating to the latest version posted on the site, and didn't realize until later that a program bug had been introduced along the way. So I had to find older versions still available on-line, to try and figure out the last one which didn't have the bug. As not all versions were still available, the last one I found that is ok was version 1.97.8. I've downloaded the most recent version to see if it has been fixed since then, but the bug is still present in version 1.98.5. The problem is in the Win98 version - when renaming a file it displays an error message, and it won't let you rename the file.

Another thing I've noticed is that a number of plugins (that I put in the plugin folder) aren't loaded in Xnview. For example, the WebP plugin doesn't show up when added - there's nothing under the "Supported formats..." or the "Plug-ins Information..." dialog windows. Is that plugin not supported on Win98? I've been able to find a GIMP WebP plugin that does work on Win98, which doesn't require the codec to be installed through Windows. Also, I've found this program: "http://textmode.netne.net/webp.html", which "natively" loads WebP images without any installation of WebP or plugins. If Xnview's plugin doesn't work on Win98 could it be fixed so that it does work.... since these other programs are able to use this format (on Win98)?

I'm aware that WebP is still changing and in active development so it may be difficult to support at this time, but it is showing a lot of promise as an image format - small files sizes (smaller than jpg), animation, transparency, lossy and now lossless compression, plans for 3d stereoscopic (left + right) images...

This is a link to Google's site for developers who want to use WebP in their programs: http://code.google.com/p/webp/downloads/list

Update: I have just discovered that WebP has been added to XnView as a format that can be "written". That's great news... but I still wish there was "read" support for WebP if at all possible. Thanks.

2nd Update: Seems like I jumped the gun... how exactly do you save the file to WebP format when it doesn't show up in the "Save as type:" list? I just saw the quality setting for Webp under the "Write" tab in the Options dialog, and assumed Webp showed up in the list of formats when you save a file - but when I tried to save a file it wasn't listed. I'm somewhat confused now.

[DOS386]

> If Xnview's plugin doesn't work on Win98 could it be fixed so that it does work

YES. Native WebP support: http://newsgroup.xnview.com/viewtopic.php?t=24246

WebP is C-code (good) and BSD-license (good). OTOH native JPEG-2000 is rather impossible.

[xnview]

I've downloaded the most recent version to see if it has been fixed since then, but the bug is still present in version 1.98.5. The problem is in the Win98 version - when renaming a file it displays an error message, and it won't let you rename the file.

Each time?

Update: I have just discovered that WebP has been added to XnView as a format that can be "written". That's great news... but I still wish there was "read" support for WebP if at all possible. Thanks.

No WebP is supported for reading & writing...

[dbz]

DOS386: Native support for WebP would be great. I checked the other thread you linked to, which was mainly about the SVG format - but I found the link to the WebP thread. The last post on that was a year ago. I think it's safe to say that Google has since then made improvements on this format - (just this month they announced the latest addition of alpha transparency support and lossless compression). Is it not fair to take another look at this format? How long before it will be supported?

Xnview: Yes, each and every time I attempt to rename a file it results in an "Error renaming file" message. I've tried a number of different file types - jpg, png, psd, etc. all with the same result. I'm not using any illegal characters ($!# - or whatever they are), all I'm doing is adding a number to the filename (example: photo.jpg is renamed to photo 2.jpg) - so I know it should work, but it doesn't. As well, there are no other files in the same folder with the same filename as what I am trying to rename it to. Thanks for looking into this. Also, why is there a quality setting for WebP (on the "Write" tab of the Options dialog window), if writing of this format is not supported? I don't understand what the point of that is.

[xnview]

Xnview: Yes, each and every time I attempt to rename a file it results in an "Error renaming file" message. I've tried a number of different file types - jpg, png, psd, etc. all with the same result. I'm not using any illegal characters ($!# - or whatever they are), all I'm doing is adding a number to the filename (example: photo.jpg is renamed to photo 2.jpg) - so I know it should work, but it doesn't. As well, there are no other files in the same folder with the same filename as what I am trying to rename it to.

Ok, i'll check on win98...

Thanks for looking into this. Also, why is there a quality setting for WebP (on the "Write" tab of the Options dialog window), if writing of this format is not supported? I don't understand what the point of that is.

??? WebP is supported read/write

[dbz]

Ok I think I've wrapped my head around what's going on with the webp stuff. I've been using the minimal version of Xnview, and I wasn't sure whether or not Xnview supported webp. I had tried using the plugin, but it didn't seem to work... but then I found the quality setting in the program and thought that it was natively support - without needing the plugin. To figure it all out, I decided to test the complete version. I then realized that the plugin was included (and therefore used) for webp support. However, it still doesn't work on Win98. You can't find webp listed as a format anywhere in the program and when I try to load a webp file it doesn't do anything. So the plugin must not work on Win98. The only thing left I can think of, is that I didn't install the actual webp codec (from Google's site) through Windows - I suspect that isn't necessary, but is that a requirement? If not, and if it should work with just the plugin - then as I stated in my first post... can this plugin be fixed to work on Win98? (since there are at least 2 other programs able to use webp on Win98)

[Drahken]

There's definitely no need to have any native webp codec on windows. I certainly never installed any such, but I can open/save webp images in xnview just fine. I'm using windows XP though, so it might be some issue with win98.
I always install the minimal version of xnview (in zip format, not exe/installer format), then grab the "all plugins" file (again, zip version), and install that seperately.
I would suggest grabbing the minimal ver zip file & the "all plugins" zip file, and unpacking them into a new folder (name it "xnview-test" or something). Then fire up that new prog, go to tools->options->system integration and check the "save options as ini file in folder xnview-test" box, then hit ok. Close the prog & reopen it. This should give you a clean install, independant of your regular install of xnview, and (hopefully) free you from any bugged settings or anything.
Alternatively, if you don't mind losing all your settings (the new folder method will leave your current xnview untouched), you can just set your current xnview to use the ini file in it's own folder, then close the prog & rename or delete the xnview.ini file (renaming it would allow you to go back & restore your previous settings by un-renaming the file again). Xnview will then create a new file the next time you launch it.
Why go through all of this? Because sometimes some setting or other can get glitched & cause weird issues later on. This is especially true with options which you have set in an older version of the prog, once it a while the format of a given setting might change & the old format will cause problems with the new program. I've had that happen with xnview once or twice.


Also, any format xnview can save in, it can also open. It can't save every format that it can open, but it can open every format it can save.


re renaming: 1) have you tried renaming the image without using any spaces?
2) Have you tried renaming the file from windows explorer? Perhaps the file is set to read-only?

[dbz]

I always install the minimal version of xnview (in zip format, not exe/installer format), then grab the "all plugins" file (again, zip version), and install that seperately...... and check the "save options as ini file in folder.....you can just set your current xnview to use the ini file in it's own folder.

That's pretty much the way I have it set up - I used to have it installed, but now I only download the zip versions and run it as a portable program - so there shouldn't be any conflict between different versions.

1) have you tried renaming the image without using any spaces?
2) Have you tried renaming the file from windows explorer? Perhaps the file is set to read-only?

Like I mentioned earlier, there is no problem renaming the files using Xnview version 1.97.8 (and earlier). So it is easy to see it's a problem with new versions of Xnview and not something else.

Thanks for trying to help out. I appreciate your suggestions.

[dbz]

I've been waiting and hoping that the rename bug would be fixed in this next release (1.98.7). Unfortunately it's still there. Is there any possibility that this will ever be fixed? It seems like it would be an easy thing to do, especially since it was working at one time.